


The Broken Puppet

by MissyMae33



Category: The Flip Zone
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:01:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27192112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissyMae33/pseuds/MissyMae33
Summary: Zil is in trouble... times infinity.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	The Broken Puppet

Abandoned and powerless, insignificant and ridiculed. 

She stood in front of the mirror.

Planning, pondering, poisoning herself.

Reflecting at an empty reflection.

Dreading, defeated,  _ dying _ .

Feeling a sense of guilt and hollowness drifting through her hair and soon her bones.

Through the bones, through the heart.

Through the mind.

The mirror shatters, leaving the child to look at the remnants.

A hand grabs her hair and yanks it back, sending her spiralling into the floor.

She crashes on the ground, and a hand grabs her forehead.

It presses hard… and starts to break the mind…  _ her _ mind...

The broken, distorted mind of Zillian Barthith.

Broken… broken… broken…

B̵̈́ͅr̶̳̐ȏ̶̤k̵̡̇e̴͍̔n̶̟̒.̴̥͊

_ “Have a good nightmare, my dear~” _

~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was a loud, desperate banging at the door. One little cat ear perked up and throbbed in pain for a second before a hand reached up to cover it.

“Ouch! Agh… not again…”

The banging continued, obnoxious and obviously meant to wake Todd up from his slumber. He sleepily sat up and rubbed his eyes, giving them a second to adjust to the darkness and help the blob that was the door materialize before plopping his glasses on. 

“Wh-who’s there..?” Todd called out in a sleepy, raspy voice, clearing his throat.

“Please… please come help… something happened to.. Please get out here…” A voice said, laced with a British accent and possibly tears from the other side of the door.

Todd’s ears perked up again, and a rush of panic and stress came from up his spine and into his lungs, tightening them into a choking gasp. He sprang up from the bed, wings sprouting open, and legs ready to run, and opened the door.

Leirsa was on the other side, pure panic on his face, and his eyes swelled and overflowing with tears.

“Oh gods, Leirsa!! What’s wrong?!” Todd said, reaching a hand out to him.

“She’sgoneshe’sgoneshe’sgoneshe’sgone-” Leirsa said, staring ahead and trying to move his statues that were his legs as the rest of his body trembled, as if he were struck by a violent cold chill.

“Leirsa, Leirsa! What happened?!” Todd said, putting his hands on his cheeks and directing his head to look at him. Startled, Leirsa jumped back a little. His gaze met Todd’s and his expression became more helpless and desperate. He grabbed Todd’s hand and started to sprint down the hall.

“Wh- Leirsa!!” Todd yelped, flinching and wincing from the sudden pull of his arm and the sudden rush of his legs carrying him with Leirsa as they journeyed down the hall.

“Please you need to help me, Zil’s in trouble- please just- help me.” Leirsa said, trying to speak between spurts of sudden sobs and gasps from running. He wasn’t really one to be fit for running, or whatever was going on. Spiralling, his focus and vision remained still, and his eyes were non effervescent despite all the tears flowing down his cheekbones.

“If you could tell me, I’d be happy to help!!” Todd said, trying not to stumble as his sleepy legs were warming up to running all of a sudden.

As soon as Leirsa opened his mouth to attempt and utter the situation for Todd, a figure shot in front of them and yelled “WAIT!!”

Leirsa and Todd came to a halt, and looked at who yelped.

It was Cora.

“Goodness you guys!! What took so long?!” Cora said, rather racked by panic and lifting her arms to hold them steady.

“Cora!! Hurry!!” Someone called from around the corner, they peeked their head around and ushered them all urgently. 

Sybil.

“Oh, did you get them??” Cora asked, now looking at Sybil.

“Yes I did, they are waiting for us. We really need to help, come on!!” Sybil said, swinging back over the corner of the wall, and the pitter patter of her feet was heard as they carried her away.

Everyone followed, Cora sprouting her horn and wings as they all ran. Then they all reached a door.

_ Zil’s door. _

Celimene popped out from behind Oralia, and ran to Todd, asking if he was well, and Oralia went to Leirsa.

Cora went to Sybil and Leirsa just stood at the door, looking at it blankly even as Oralia pulled him into a hug.

“You’re the person she loves most out of all of us, Leirsa. If someone can help her, it’s you.” Oralia said.

“I  _ still _ don’t know what’s going on!! Did Zil have another nightmare?!” Todd exclaimed.

Celimene gave him a sorrowful look.

“Dear… something ghastly happened to her, we have no idea how it came around, but all we have left is remnants of her…” Celimene said, taking one second to look at the door, then back to Todd.

“But  _ what happened _ ?!” Todd said, now a little more worried as the fear and sorrow of Zil potentially meeting her demise reflected on his face.

Leirsa put a hand over his mouth and slumped over.

“ _ She broke… _ ” Leirsa said in a choking breath, exhaling all of the air from his lungs in an airy sob that weighed him down even more.

A moment was all he needed to register what Leirsa had said.

_ “Broke…” _

“Oh…  _ oh no _ …”

Todd wanted to walk to the door, he wanted to go inside and help… but he felt so much fear building, he wanted to run to the bathroom, and lock the door.

“How.. how did this happen?!” Todd asked, backing up towards the wall, dead stare on Zil’s door.

“We have no idea…” Oralia said, defeatedly.

Like it was staged, everyone gazed at the door. Looking at what was keeping them from their best friend.

Thinking how kind of a girl she was, how sweet, kind, brave, strong, considerate-

“G̵o̷ ̴a̸w̷a̸y̸ ̷b̵e̵f̶o̸r̵e̷ ̴I̷ ̴m̷a̷k̸e̶ ̶y̵o̴u̵.̶ ” 

A voice called, laced with anger, emptiness and…

_ Glitching. _

Leirsa let out a sharp breath and tried to restrain his hand from reaching out to the doorknob like giving someone a handshake, and swinging it open, but he kept his space.

Oralia looked at everyone, giving herself a second to count everyone and pausing since they were missing one, but shaking her head and grabbing the doorknob herself. 

“You all ready?” Oralia asked, hushed and palm already sweaty on the doorknob she was clutching.

Everyone let out a hesitant approving noise, or nodded their head slowly, all looking at her.

She turned the knob to the right, and peeked inside. Darkness greeted her, along with the distant sounds of something wet dripping down from the ceiling. She flung the door open the rest of the way, cautious and quietly yet still hastily to get everyone inside.

Once everyone was there, they looked around. 

It was nothing like what they had seen it before.

The floor was wet with black water, and the room was muggy, dark, and hollow. Her canopy bed and all of her furniture, appliances, and cute little drawings hung on the walls,  _ gone. _

Oralia stepped forward, holding Leirsa’s hand. Leirsa has extremely hesitant and moved his knees with much precaution and small distanced steps while he trembled like a wet cat on a stormy night, shivering and filled with hopelessness.

Leirsa looked at Oralia, his uneasiness and fear shining through like moonlight passing through a window. Oralia tried to give a hopeful smile, but it was mostly empty, but still got to him.

Leirsa nodded and looked ahead. He cleared his raspy, dry throat.

“Zil? Are you in here..?” He called out to the blackness ahead.

A moan was heard, a sound of desperation, exhaustion, and pain.

“I̸ ̸t̶o̶l̷d̶ ̶y̸o̵u̵ ̶t̵o̸ ̶l̴e̴a̸v̸e̵.̷” Zil said from wherever she was in the black abyss.

“Zil, honey! We only wish to assist you!” Celimene said to Zil in the black, ongoing room.

“We aren’t going anywhere, Zil. We are staying with you.” Sybil said, putting an arm around Cora and also stepping up and farther into the room.

There was silence, and then a light kicked on.

A faint music box was heard in the distance, playing something that made Leirsa shudder.

_ Sleeping In The Stars. _

The light shone onto a little black waterfall, and in that waterfall, there she was.

Zil was sitting there, head down and on her knees, glitching and letting the water run onto her and drip from her hair. Although it seemed she was getting wet, she was completely dry.

“W̴h̶y̵ ̴w̶o̶n̴’̸t̸ ̸y̵o̵u̴ ̵j̷u̷s̶t̷ ̶l̵e̶a̸v̶e̵?̵ ̸E̴v̸e̶r̷y̵o̵n̶e̸ ̸e̸l̷s̶e̷ ̴d̴i̷d̷ ” Zil said, looking up at the group. Everyone shuddered to see her dripping, pure black eyes, like two overflowing pools of night.

“Because we aren’t ‘everyone else’. We are staying right here!” Todd said, folding his hand in Celimene’s. She smiled back, scared, but true to the one whose hand was encased in her’s.

Zil’s wings spilled open, and were not her dark blue bat wings.

Pure black liquid wings spread upward and flowed everywhere, like melting butter on a hot saucepan.

She stood up, and hunched over, her balance fluctuating and wavering doing so, and making the others hold their breath. Leirsa looked away, wincing in the hole that just opened wider in his heart.

“N̴o̴b̵o̶d̴y̷ ̷e̵v̷e̷r̷ ̵l̷i̶s̵t̵e̴n̵s̸ ̵t̷o̷ ̴a̴ ̵c̶h̴i̵l̸d̵,̵ ̶r̸i̵g̶h̸t̷?̵” Zil said, taking one step forward before stepping back due to her weak and shaky knees.

The tension grew between the group as they saw Zil. Cora was whispering to herself while Sybil stayed right beside her, Celimene was scooting closer to Todd in a panic, Todd hardly ever seeing her so hurt, Oralia still holding Leirsa’s hand, whose grip became tighter by the minute.

Leirsa had his head swimming in so many outcomes, causes or anything that he could have done to help. He could have saved her like she saved him. He could have sung her to sleep again, he could have read to her until they both snuggled up and fell asleep together again, but he had to take a path of idiocy and turmoil for everyone else, he had to hesitate to step forward for a friend who would always come out to help, he had to… he had to…

He had to  _ fail. _

“I’m going to help her.” Leirsa blurted out. 

This was followed by the gasps and hushed, disapproving responses from the group, and Oralia took a step up.

“Leirsa, I’m sorry, but this isn’t the Zil you know.  _ We _ don’t even know this Zil, and by the gods I am not having you get hurt too.” Oralia said sternly and held her grip on Leirsa’s hand as hard as her glare in his eyes were.

“I have to  _ try _ ! This happened because  _ I  _ left her again! We were working together and we were stronger and I let her go like a fish just caught and set free. I need to fix this.” Leirsa exclaimed, and released his hand from Oralia to try and gather the courage to walk over to Zil. Oralia’s gasp was audible, but Leirsa didn’t hear it over his beehive of a mind, angry little bees as thoughts buzzing in his head.

Leirsa took a deep breath, and despite the exclamations and disapproving cautions and words on the useful side for him, he started to walk.

Long, short, time consuming, and hasty steps came on and off for Leirsa, fluctuating as the vision of Zil became more clear as he moved closer. Zil glitched and twitched, something that hit way too home for Leirsa. He knows her pain, and by the gods he’s gonna help her stop it.

“Zil, please, you have to listen to me.” Leirsa said, approaching her even more.

“W̵h̴y̴ ̸w̸o̵n̸’̶t̸ ̷y̵o̶u̵ ̴j̸u̸s̴t̶ ̵g̸o̸?̷!̵”  Zil asked, her stance more stern but still hunched over. A glitch racked her body and she let out a yelp before steadying herself and shakily standing back where she was. Leirsa stepped back and looked at her.

_ “This is all my fault, if we had been together like you told her, then you wouldn't be in this mess, you idiot. Because of you she’s hurt, she broke because of you, you ——ng idiot!!!”  _ Leirsa thought, holding his elbows and squinting, trying to quiet his thoughts he wants to leave for dead.

“This is all because of me, Stardust. If I had only stayed with you like we promised, you wouldn’t be so hurt. But… I know we can’t make up for what you lost, but maybe, we can make up the time we spent… together, right? Please…” Leirsa said, now fully approached to Zil, and taking a knee to reach her height. He sees her black, inky eyes as liquid spilled from out of them.

“Are you in there?” Leirsa asked, putting a hand on Zil’s cheek, and directing her gaze to meet his. Her expression was hollow, and emotionless.

“Please, show me you’re still there. If you’re here, I will love you no matter what. No matter the cost, no matter what comes, I’m always here. Nod your head, say something, wiggle an ear, whatever. Please…” Leirsa said, shaking her shoulders slightly as if to wake her up, and tearing up in the process.

A small, radio like sound was heard inside of Zil. She twitched slightly, and she suddenly gave him a shocked expression.

“G̴E̶T̸ ̸B̶A̶C̸K̴”

Zil pushed Leirsa back and hunched over as a huge glitch covered and deepened into Zil’s bones. She screamed in pain, feeling the harsh shock deep into every nerve, making her shake violently. Everyone let out horrified gasps as they saw this. Her body lit up like a Christmas tree and she kept screaming.

Screaming, yelling, projecting wishes and empty wants of help or guidance.

Until… it ceased. Zil let out a harsh gasp for air, and collapsed, letting the last glitched burn out. Leirsa ran to her immediately, and knelt down.

“Oh gods…  _ NONONONONONO  _ Zil!! Are you okay?! Zil  _ please  _ get up!!  _ GET UP! _ ”

Zil shook, and then did indeed get up.

She got up… she…

She grabbed Leirsa’s throat and held him in the air.

Everyone gasped and started to run towards them as Zil held him in the air, Leirsa struggling to breathe and move as he kicked his legs and raised his arms up to Zil’s hand, her grip tightening.

Leirsa looked up at the light raining down where Zil one sat, and saw it flickering and dimming. His legs slowed its kicking.

“E̷m̸p̸t̵y̶ ̸w̶o̷r̷d̷s̶ ̸f̷r̷o̴m̸ ̶a̶n̶ ̷e̷m̵p̴t̵y̶ ̵s̷o̴u̷l̴.̸” Zil said as she raised him higher.

She let out a grunt, and threw him across the room toward a wall. He crashed into it, let out a yelp, and collapsed. The clover fell out of his hair as his body went limp and slumped over.

“You imp! How could you?!” Celimene screamed and ran over to him with the rest. She immediately knelt down and turned him over, revealing his tear stained, unconscious face. He was hardly breathing.

Celimene immediately started to heal him, shakily placing her hand on his forehead. Cora and Sybil stood back as Celimene did her thing, and Oralia ran up to him.

“Leirsa?! Leirsa!! Wake up wake up!!!” She screamed, and hunched over his body to weep. She grabbed his hand and squeezed, he didn’t squeeze back.

Todd looked helplessly at Leirsa, and his face grew sour and furious. He summoned a dagger and started to run toward Zil.

“Todd!!  _ TODD!!”  _ Celimene yelled to him as he sprinted, hurt by her fear but not looking back.

“ _ There is no way this is Zil… this cant be… she can’t…”  _ Todd thought as he ran, looking up at Zil. A huge smile sat on her face.

“You aren’t Zil!! You’re a freaking JERK!” Todd yelled as he ran toward her. He slashed downward, but Zil disappeared. Shocked, he stopped, and suddenly let out a hard gasp. 

Zil came up behind him.

“N̴o̶w̷ ̷n̵o̶w̵,̵ ̷w̶e̸ ̸a̶l̴l̷ ̴k̶n̷o̶w̶ ̷y̷o̷u̶ ̷a̸r̷e̵n̷’̷t̸ ̶t̷h̵e̷ ̸h̷e̵r̴o̸.̴”  Zil said, and then picked him up by the wings.

Todd yelped in pain as he felt his wings move in directions he didn’t want them to go in, trying to flap the, to get her off, but she only pulled tighter. Tears rolled down his face as he looked back.

Zil’s eyes were blood red.

“Y̴o̷u̵ ̶a̶r̸e̷ ̴p̴a̷t̶h̶e̵t̷i̵c̴.̶”  Zil said as he threw him too.

He skidded across the floor and stopped by another unseen wall. He tried to move, tried to call for help, but he could only reach a hand out to Celimene before letting it drop and let the purple sparkles in the back of his bead eat up his vision as he fell back down, motionless.

Celimene let out a horrible, heartbreaking shriek as she stood up and ran towards Todd, leaving Oralia, Cora, and Sybil by Leirsa, who was still unconscious.

“Celimene  _ no! _ ” Cora yelped after her, and reached a hand out. She looked at Sybil and nodded, and then they both began to run, leaving Oralia to weep.

Celimene still had her horns from healing and was getting them ready for Todd when Zil grabbed them and held her back.

Celimene shrieked in pain as she tried to fight it to reach Todd.

“O̷h̸ ̷w̴o̵w̶!̸ ̶Y̶o̶u̷ ̷c̸a̷n̴’̶t̷ ̵s̵a̷v̸e̴ ̵y̷o̶u̵r̵ ̶m̸a̴n̸!̸ ̶D̵e̶j̶a̸ ̵v̴u̵!̶”  Zil said readying to throw her when she felt something hit her in the back of the head. She dropped Celimene and she scrambled away towards Todd. Zil looked down at what had hit her, and it was a hand.

Zil looked up in rage to see Sybil and Cora flying towards them. Zil summoned her spear, but it wasn’t like before. It was pitch black, and the end was covered in blue static. A taser. She smirked and disappeared.

Cora and Sybil stopped, and Cora spun around to see Zil about to get Sybil.

“ _ SYBIL LOOK OUT!” _ Cora shrieked, but she was too late.

Zil shoved the taser onto Sybil’s back and turned it on. Sybil screamed at the volts ran through her body, leaving her paralyzed in mid air. 

“NONONONONONO MOM!! DAD PLEASE NO!!” Sybil screamed.

Zil cut the power and Sybil fell, gasping for air. Cora tried to reach down when Zil tased her too. It wasn’t just the electricity that racked them, they saw everything they never wanted to see.

Cora saw her mom, her dad, and the heart being shoved toward her mouth. She resisted and was trying to fight back when the power cut off, and she fell too. Dizzy and in pain, they both laid there, seemingly paralyzed from fear and the aftershock.

“Y̷o̶u̴ ̷d̶i̴d̶ ̴t̶h̴i̶s̵ ̵t̶o̸ ̶m̶e̸.̶.̶.̷ ̸a̵l̸l̷ ̴o̸f̴ ̴y̴o̵u̷.̵.̴”  Zil said, circling around everyone and flying back to Celimene.

“Y̵o̷u̷ ̷w̶i̵l̸l̷ ̴k̶n̸o̵w̸ ̷t̴h̸e̷ ̵p̴a̸i̴n̵ ̵I̴ ̷f̵e̴l̶t̵.̸”  Zil said, picking Celimene up by the horns and throwing her towards the door.

She called out to Todd before crashing into the door, sliding down and letting her head drop.

Zil looked around and chuckled, and she smiled so wide…

This wasn’t like her, why did she feel like this?

Suddenly, her laugh was cut short. A snap rang out across the room and Zil froze. She dropped her spear and started to sway. She surrendered to the spell and fell. Then the sounds of footsteps rang out before someone came into the light, humming a tune and fixing his gloves. Koji walked up to the broken puppet.

“Good job, my dear. That was mighty impressive. I knew you had some of that hostility left in you, I’m proud.” Koji said, looking down with his smile as cunning as a fox and teeth like a shark. He looked around.

“I’ll take it from here, you can rest. You’ll join them all soon, I’ll just have to put you all back in the room.” Koji said, fixing his crown and looking up at the light.

_ “This is why you don’t make deals with the devil, Zillian,” _

  
  



End file.
